‘Dirty Dancing,’ Now a Facebook Game

It feels like the “Dirty Dancing” tie-ins will never stop–and why would they, given the unbelievably long legs of the nearly 25-year-old film? We’ve been treated the cinematic “re-imagining” “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights,” then the 20th anniversary theatrical re-release, and this year the announcement of planned remake from Kenny Ortega. And that’s just the film, not its bestselling soundtrack.

And now, for the digital age, there’s a brand-new interactive Facebook game — just launched by Lionsgate and Social Game Universe — which will capitalize on the fact that there’s an already massive fanbase for the film on Facebook.

In fact, right now, the 1987 blockbuster and cult-classic romance, dance, and coming-of-age film starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze as unlikely lovers Baby and Johnny ranks in the top ten most popular entertainment franchises on the social networking site, with nearly eleven million “fans” and record-breaking responses to a post on Swayze’s death.

The new game takes users to a retro, pixelated version of Kellerman’s Catskills resort, the place where Baby and Johnny’s smoldering romance was sparked. Once they’ve been treated to an intro, players run the resort as your own, “revitalizing” it with the help of the love-struck duo. The game consists of sending romantic vibes through the air and using “watermelon” currency in honor of Baby’s arrival at the staff party with a melon in hand. The currency allows you to set up dance contests with your friends, add decorations, attractions and more. Sound confusing? You’re guided through by advice bubbles from your sexy coach of choice and snippets of the iconic film’s soundtrack after you make decisions–including the all important decision to “spread romance” throughout Kellerman’s by sending a pink wave of love out to resort guests, urging them to couple up and earn more points for you. More points also means the chance to listen to more music from the soundtrack.

The game has a fun old-school feel and clicking the button that sends love flying through the air has an addictive quality. Still, purist “Dirty Dancing” fans like myself can’t help but wonder what the film’s integrity-loving main characters would think about this game glamorizing Kellerman’s resort as a place where fun is achieved via commerce, even if it’s fake commerce. After all, throughout the film they both come to realize that the is was seething with class inequalities–and deciding that it;s worth it to fight the established order. Plus, all the grittier stuff from the film that makes it so memorable–from illegal abortions to kleptomania to talk of Vietnam and Ayn Rand–are excised from this interactive version. On the other hand, once the irresistible music started, it might be hard to tear Baby and Johnny and their generations of fans away from the virtual dance floor.